Hunter's Heart (Alpha Pack #4)(52)

Enough evidence to put August away for good, at her fingertips. And she couldn't get at it.

Ryon's urgent voice pushed into her head. Baby, get out of there!

I'm coming, she answered. Five minutes.

Hurry.

She glanced out the window at the lightening sky and had to resist pounding her fist on the desk in frustration. She needed more time, and they had none left.

Any moment the estate and surrounding compound would stir to life. Disheartened, she removed her thumb drive from the computer. So close. She put it back in the waterproof bag, then zipped the whole thing inside her backpack. After tidying the desk and taking one last look around to make certain she'd left the area exactly as it had been, she eased into the corridor.

Voices and heavy footsteps drifted from the far end around the corner, heading her way at a brisk pace. As fast as she dared without making noise, Daria spun in the opposite direction. Thank goodness they weren't between her and the escape route. Still, she wasn't out of danger.

She wound her way through the maze of corridors, listening as the estate began to awaken. Tonight they would finish the job if it was the last thing they did. Twenty-four hours from now, the information they needed would be in the hands of the Institute's lab people, and a cure could be found for Ben and any other humans and shifters who were out there suffering. God, what she wouldn't give to see the shock on August's despicable face when he realized what she'd done.

Perhaps she would leave her uncle a taunting note guaranteed to give him an even nastier surprise. With this gratifying thought, she let herself back into the guest room and closed the door, leaning against it to calm her jumping nerves. Shoving back a strand of long black hair that had escaped the confines of her ponytail, she blew out a deep breath.

Then she headed for the French doors. She got halfway across the floor before it hit her.

Something was different.

She froze and listened. Nothing moved. The bedroom appeared empty and yet the atmosphere had thickened like the gathering of a storm, morphing into a very real sense of presence. Menacing. Precise as a laser beam, the feeling centered between her shoulder blades.

The closet?

Too late, Daria planted her feet and tensed, ready to confront the unseen threat. A disturbance in the air fanned against her back and before she could turn, a muscular arm snaked around her middle just under her br**sts, jerking her back hard. Her breath left in a rush as she slammed against the unyielding form of a massive body. A familiar body, along with the masculine scent of earth and sweat that made her wolf howl with delight.

"What are you doing?" she hissed.

"Came to get my mate out of here." Kissing her temple, he grabbed her hand and yanked her toward the French doors. "Let's go."

Daria hurried to match his stride as he hauled her out into the morning. He skirted the back of the house, making his way to the most secluded area of the compound, then stopped. Standing still, he listened for a long moment, his eyes narrowed. The morning had lightened enough that she could make out his profile and the concerned frown pulling down the corners of his mouth.

"What's wrong?"

He held up a hand to shush her. One minute crept by. Two. Daria began to grow impatient and started to tell him so, but he interrupted in the barest whisper.

"What do you see? Hear?"

"Nothing. Why-"

"Shh."

Complete silence. Even the forest ahead, which should have been coming to noisy life with the chatter of birds, stood mute as if someone had flipped an off switch.

"Ambush," he breathed, palming his pistol. "Run."

The import of his words hardly had time to register when all hell broke loose. Ryon yanked her around the corner of the house, setting off at a dead run with her in tow as dozens of men with rifles materialized from behind the wall they would've scaled. Shouting and cursing, August's security force opened fire.

Long legs pumping, he ran full out, never letting go of her wrist. Daria stumbled, heart in her throat, as more of August's goons rounded the opposite side of the house to intercept them. He veered off and cut through the gardens, using the lush greenery as a cover of sorts from the bullets pelting around them.

Panic washed over her. She and her mate possessed special abilities, but even they would stand little chance against dozens of bullets. How had August learned they were here? For now they were forced to abort their mission. But if they survived this crazy scenario, she'd find a way for them to double back and finish what they'd come for.

Ryon hesitated, scanning the wide expanse of cultivated lawn in front of the estate. Surely he didn't mean to do what it appeared.

He did. The man sprinted across the yard, heading straight for the imposing iron gates at the end of the lawn. Beyond that was nothing but forest. They couldn't have been more exposed if they'd posted targets on their backs, and there was no time to liberate a copter from her uncle.

They skidded to a halt at the gates next to the keypad, and he thrust her toward the panel.

"Do you know the code?"

Men streamed around the house, rifles poised, closing the gap.

"Dad gave it to me, but there's not enough time-"

"The code, Daria!"

Daria punched in the numbers as he dropped to a crouch, tucking the pistol in his waistband and whipping the M16 off his back. So many of them. It struck her as pathetic, one lone man against August's force. Like an ant biting an elephant.